CHARMOUTH LITERARY FESTIVAL

Charmouth Literary Festival Saturday 16th October 2010
One man who attended last year said that he had been to many of the larger Literary Festivals but felt that we had achieved a level of audience participation and practical advice that is not possible at these star studded events. The Festival covers all aspects of writing and gives the opportunity to experience the process of writing, what to do with it and be able to ask detailed questions. Writing can be a lonely business and people will give up because they feel that their work is not good enough or they lack the confidence to take it to the next level. This realisation came about as a result of running and attending writing workshops.
Benefits:
• Gain confidence through the act of writing.
• Learn new skills and techniques about the process of getting published.
• Access support groups and continue writing after the event.
Last year, as a result of attending the festival, one man entered a poetry competition in a national writers magazine and won second prize. Two writing groups were formed in the area. One lady, having heard about the festival on local radio came along and subsequently joined a writing group in her area, it not only helped her writing but it enhanced her social life. We met our original aims by hearing stories such as these. We held seminars in the village shop (IDA’s) and they experienced a good trading day. The Hensleigh Hotel did a Literary Brunch and it was a sell out. We would like to include other businesses to benefit as a result. The Bridport Festival like other festivals are produced on a grand scale, we want to show how small villages can reach people and achieve just as much at ground level.

ON THE EDGE

If a bird is ever going to learn how to fly he just has to jump. He cannot stay up there all his life in that cosy nest hoping that his mum is going to come and feed him for the rest of his life. There is no point in hoping that something better might turn up, you have got to trust your gut feeling and jump. You will be glad that you did. You will have ventured out of your known territory and tried something new. You have got to learn from that experience and it will spur you on to other new experiences.

JAZZ VESPERS

Lyme Regis Jazz Festival
Sunday 4th July 2010

The Tim Eyles All Stars, opened evening vespers with ‘Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.’
A New Orleans funeral hymn followed, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, played with restraint and sung by the trumpeter, Eyles, into a chrome retro microphone. The clarinet gave just the right amount of mood to reflect on the words before the trumpet picked up the sound. The trombone came in low and solemn and then all three took it away. You could see the procession of mourners in your mind’s eye.
Tim Eyeles sang, ‘Some black morning when this life is over, I’ll fly away…’ a beautiful gospel hymn about death and a chance for the guitarist and double bass player to perform.
Amazing Grace, led by the clarinet was haunting. John Newton hymn, wrote this hymn as a result of escorting slaves from Africa, nearly dying in turbulent seas, he prayed to God to save them. The hymn, written in the late 18th century was more recently made famous by the Scots Dragoon Guards.
An address was given by the Rev Stephen Skinner and then we were absorbed once more in this beautiful music. I have always enjoyed Sunday afternoon services in the church but never more so than today. St Michael’s has done a lot to bring a wide range of music to the town and I commend them for their enthusiasm and versatility.
Naturally, we finished with, ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’, A great end to a great jazz festival.